What ASA may need to do is to let Christians know that many scientists who
think evolution is scientifically valid also believe that God is involved
and that evolution is a tool for creation. Now the question is, how? These
people probably don't read the same journals.
At 12:45 PM 12/23/1999 -0700, John W. Burgeson wrote:
>Allen Harvey wrote:
>
>"Perhaps, but it is at least as key to recognize *why* they want to give
>evolution this scrutiny. Underlying most of the movement is the
>assumption that evolution is incompatible with theism (which *may* be
>based on their reading of Scripture but may spring from "God of the Gaps"
>theology or other philosophical considerations), which necessitates a
>defensive effort to find holes in evolutionary theory. So even if PJ
>leaves the Bible out of it, he can't (nor does he really try to) pretend
>his motivations are not primarily religious."
>
>Allen -- you are of the opinion (as are a lot of others here) that
>"understanding the motives of a person's arguments, in this case PJ, are
>of substantial importance in properly evaluating the arguments
>themselves.
>
>I don't hold to that position. I could care less WHY PJ (& Dembski &
>Nelson et al) propose their ideas. Nor do I much care what use may be
>made of those ideas in matters external.
>
>BTW -- I have not read PJ claiming that his motives are not primarily
>religious. Has anyone?
>
>Allen goes on,
>
>"After all, you don't see such large and determined efforts to analyze
>relativity or plate tectonics "on its own merits", because these theories
>don't threaten anybody's faith. If evolution were not perceived as a
>threat to theism, at least 90% of the ID movement (and 99% of the
>attention it gets within the Church) would vanish, with ID getting as
>little attention as PJ's opposition to scientific orthodoxy on HIV/AIDS."
>
>Perhaps so. But how much "attention" it gets seems to also be a
>sub-issue.
>
>"By the way, I'm not opposed to such scrutiny of evolutionary theory, but
>I despise the frequently underlying implication that, if evolution stands
>up under the scrutiny, atheism will have won the day."
>
>Of course you & I pretty much agree here, though I would not use the word
>"despise."
>
>Merry Christmas
>
> Burgy
>
>
Ken Sewell
Code Bravery: A new techno-thriller
http://www.zyworld.com/Ken_Sewell/Home.htm